SYNOPSIS:

Hard Road Synopsis Based on a previously un-produced work and certain characters created by Christopher Peacock By John Michael Sudol Billy Saint is a legendary rock icon in the smoldering twilight of his colorful career. As he bitterly rides the fast breaking wave of his waning reign in the court of rock royalty to its destined oblivion, the opportunity for redemption desperately throws itself across the tracks of runaway self-destruction in the most unexpected form of the son he never knew existed. Will Bartow is a classic example of the contemporary middle-class American white male adrift on the angry waves of a recklessly changing world in the uncertain days of the early twenty-first century – where the very foundation of everything seems to be in question. Raised by a single parent in the mid-sized central California city of Bakersfield, he enjoys a reasonably stable life living with his mother and disabled grandfather, and works for the railroad at the local freight yard. He, like many of today’s young American men, also enjoys an extended childhood as he approaches his 30th birthday. He and his girlfriend Jenny have been a couple since high school, but have yet to marry, and he holds fast to his dream of becoming a successful recording artist, playing and performing locally, with his band of area rock musicians. He has idolized the legendary rock icon Billy Saint since his early exposure to the music by his relatively young mother, Christine Bartow, when he was barely a toddler. But Will’s childhood has to end and he knows it; as does his mom and Jenny, and everyone else around him. It’s an extremely difficult transition for him to make and the question of his identity is at the center of his internal struggle to commit to a future that he is afraid he cannot live up to. Christine Bartow is an attractive and vibrant 46 year-old former rocker chick from the later days of the hippies in the early 1970’s. Christine also works for the railroad like her son, and her father before her who is now retired. During the summer of 1974, 15 year-old Christine found herself swept away into the swirling world of a rock ‘n’ roll groupie following a series of events that include the tragic death of her mother while her father was serving his country in the hell of Vietnam 10,000 miles away. For six surreal and magical months, she traveled the country with her new friends Lilly and young superstar Billy Saint experiencing a friendship and an innocently deep and passionate love she would never again know to the present day. From this dream-like journey was born the true love of her life; her only child, Will. She has never seen or spoken to Lilly or Billy since the end of that wonderful and painful self-defining life within a life, and has never spoken of it to anyone other than her father. Her son knows no father himself. Hard Road is the story of a son who knows no father, a man who knows no love, and a woman - who alone keeps the powerful truth that with its revelation could bring peace, fulfillment, and resolution to all, or individually tear them all apart and destroy her relationship with her beloved son. This is the story of a son’s journey back in time to discover a present identity to define a future. The path to hope is a hard road. Face the music. -John Michael Sudol 310.654.6839 – info@johnmichaelsudol.com / radioeyemotionpictures@gmail.com © 2004 – 2013 John Michael Sudol / R A D I O E Y E M O T I O N P I C T U R E S All Rights Reserved. Absolutely no copying, re-printing, sharing, transmission, exhibition – electronic or otherwise – of any kind is allowed without written permission. Failure to adhere to domestic and international copyright law may result in criminal and civil penalties of up to $250,000 in fines plus judgments and other damages, and 5 years in prison. **REGISTERED WITH WGA and the U.S. Library of Congress.